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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29846472">The same page</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat_fanfic/pseuds/kat_fanfic'>kat_fanfic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Malex Relay One Shots [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alex Manes Deserves Nice Things, Alien Powers, Angst, BAMF Alex Manes, Canon Disabled Character, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Getting Back Together, Healing, M/M, Michael Guerin Needs a Hug, One Shot, Post-Season/Series 03, Talking, Trapped, Vomiting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:56:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29846472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat_fanfic/pseuds/kat_fanfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Debris hovered over them, forming a perfect dome of concrete and bent metal only a few inches above their prone bodies that seemed to be held up by an invisible force. Realization struck and Alex turned towards Guerin, heart in his throat." </p>
<p>A trap, a close call and the ramifications of alien powers conspire to bring star-crossed lovers back together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michael Guerin/Alex Manes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Malex Relay One Shots [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>124</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The same page</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a trap. Of course, it was, they had feared this, had prepared for it as best they could, and yet, the moment he heard the faint hiss of gas being pumped into the room, Alex froze. Just for a split second, just long enough for his mind to acknowledge the panic sweeping through him before training and experience swept it away. </p>
<p>A familiar calm descended upon him, a calm that wasn’t even broken when Guerin started to cough beside him, his step faltering. The skin-tickling almost-hum of his powers ebbed away as the air around them took on a faint yellow tint.</p>
<p>“Orchid,” Alex said succinctly, hands already busy. </p>
<p>“Shit,” Liz answered in his ear, and then he had no more time to listen. He pulled his gun and had the safety off in one swift move, fishing around in his pocket with the left. When his fingers curled around cool plastic, he heaved a sigh of relief. Liz had made the batch fresh just this morning, murmuring something about reduced reaction times as she stacked their emergency stashes with them. He could only hope that she was right. </p>
<p>He got the syringe out without looking, eyes scanning the wide empty floor of the warehouse while pulling the safety cap off with his teeth. “Heads up,” he murmured and then he plunged the tip deep into Guerin’s thigh and pushed the violet liquid directly into his bloodstream. </p>
<p>Guerin gasped, a shocked sound that forced its way out of his chest, but it took only mere moments before his coughs stopped and he righted himself, the tingle of his powers flooding Alex’s being. He didn’t know when it had started, that sense he had of the alien’s powers, but he was very glad for it now. “You good?” he murmured.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Thank fuck for overzealous scientists,” Guerin croaked as he threw his curls back from his face and the dust around them began to shiver. </p>
<p>Alex’s answering snort got swallowed by the sudden eruption of gunfire from the other side of the warehouse, bullets pinging the metal structure to either side of them. Unthinking, Alex widened his stance and was firing back before Guerin’s curse even made it to his ears. By the time he even thought about diving for cover, it was already too late. </p>
<p>Alex continued to shoot, making every single one count, bracing for impact – and then the bullets heading for his chest and face just stopped, midair, cluttering to the floor in front of his feet as if plucked from midair by invisible fingers. </p>
<p>There were stifled cursed coming from the other side of the warehouse, proof that Liz’s serum had restored Guerin’s powers to full strength impressively fast, and he was already making the Deep Sky soldiers pay. He had a penchant for smacking people with their own guns which, Alex had to admit, was kind of hilarious. </p>
<p>Checking and reloading his gun just in case, he glanced at Guerin and shot him a wild grin. “You want me to call you Neo now, don’t you.”</p>
<p>“Nah.” Guerin’s eyes gleamed in the dim lighting and his low chuckle filled the space between them. “Leather’s really not my thing.”</p>
<p>Alex bit back the retort hovering on his lips. ‘It should be’ wasn’t something he ought to say to either an ex-boyfriend <em>or</em> a friend, both of which they sort of were. “We got gunfire,” he said instead, talking into the little com hidden in his ear. “Any intel on what we’re facing here?” </p>
<p>A second later, Max’s voice crackled through the open line. “Thank god you’re okay. Heat signature says four, though there could be more. We have no idea where they even came from, place looked clean when you got in.”</p>
<p>“Copy,” Alex murmured, worry gnawing in his gut. A trap was one thing, but this was beginning to smell more and more like an ambush. “We’re coming back, keep the truck running and-“</p>
<p>The first explosion rocked the ground enough to make them sway, but the second one swept them right off their feet. Alex turned while he was shoved back by the blast, instinct and training letting him catch himself and roll with the heat searing his skin, but he still landed hard, half of his body smacking into unforgiving concrete and the other punching the air from Guerin’s chest. His ears rang and he shook his head in an attempt to make the annoying sound go away. </p>
<p>“Hey, Guerin,” he murmured when he got his bearings back, already feeling around for the gun that had been smacked from his hand. “Fancy meeting you here.”</p>
<p>Guerin huffed out what sounded like a laugh, but the smartass reply Alex had expected didn’t come. He couldn’t quite make out the other man’s expression and it took him a few heartbeats to realize why. It was dark around him, darker than it had been before the explosion and for a long, breathless moment, Alex feared that something was wrong with his eyes. </p>
<p>But there was light, he realized after a new jolt of adrenaline had shot through his system. Tiny beams of it, breaking and changing, dancing around them, barely bright enough to make out any details. “What the…?”  </p>
<p>He felt something fall on his face then and he reached up feel it. It was grainy and rough and felt like… sand? He looked up, confused, and gasped at what he saw. Debris hovered over them, forming a perfect dome of concrete and bent metal only a few inches above their prone bodies that seemed to be held up by an invisible force.</p>
<p>Realization struck and Alex turned towards Guerin, heart in his throat. “How long can you hold it?”</p>
<p>Guerin grunted. “Not long. ‘s heavy.”</p>
<p>“Shit,” Alex murmured, fumbling for his earpiece. He cursed again when his fingers only met empty space. A quick check confirmed Guerin’s was also gone, and cold dread filled his gut. </p>
<p>Guerin groaned and now that his eyes had gotten used to the half-light, Alex could see the strain on his face very clearly, could see the way he clenched his teeth as he barely held on to the tons of debris the explosions had collapsed on top of them. “Alex,” Guerin grunted, sweat beading on his temples. “You gotta go.”</p>
<p>The words hit Alex like a punch. He remembered vividly when Michael had uttered them last and he was just as disinclined to follow the directive as he had been then. “Not without you.”</p>
<p>“You <em>have</em> to <em>go</em>,” Michael urged and shook his head, trying to get a sweat-soaked curl off his face. </p>
<p>Reaching up, Alex did it for him, using the excuse to lay his hand flat against Michael’s face. It had been a while since he’d been allowed to take such liberties, and he tried to not read too much into it when Michael pressed into his touch. “I won’t.” Alex repeated, low, keeping the words close. “Not without you.”</p>
<p>The rubble shifted and Michael moaned in a mix of pain and effort. “Please,” he breathed, his words barely audible over the sound of grinding concrete and Alex’s own heartbeat pounding in his ears. “Please, Alex, you need to-“ </p>
<p>He gasped and the masses above them groaned and crunched, slipping down another inch or two and Alex instinctively ducked, the very real fear of being buried alive threatening to choke him. Michael strained underneath him, letting out a soft cry as he struggled to hold the small bubble of safety he’d created for them. “Go,” he croaked, his eyes frantic as they met his. “I need you to be safe, Alex, just. I love you, and I need you to <em>go</em>.” He shouted the last word, pushing at Alex with his mind, shoving him away and down a tunnel he had created in the rubble, sunlight gleaming on the other end. </p>
<p>“Michael!” Alex yelled, trying to hang on to something, trying to crawl back, fear and rage and desperate love waging through him as he watched the dome begin to topple, Michael’s face waxen as he fought to hang on long enough for him to get free. </p>
<p>Someone grabbed a hold of him then, pulling at his legs, his waist, until he’d been cleared and was blinking up into Liz’s worried face. Max, who had been the one to pull him out the rest of the way, looked distracted, eyes fixed on something behind him. </p>
<p>“Alex?” Liz took a hold of his face, made him look at her. “Hey, are you hurt? Do you need Kyle?”</p>
<p>All Alex managed was to shake his head. “Michael,” he rasped, urgency filling his tone. </p>
<p>To his surprise, Liz just nodded, her dark eyes kind as she checked him over. Alex pushed her searching hands away, urgency clawing at him and he tried to climb onto his feet. “We gotta get him out!”</p>
<p>Liz held him down. “Alex-“ she began, but then another voice rang out, interrupting her.</p>
<p>“Way ahead of you, Manes.” </p>
<p>Alex slumped in relief. Isobel. If anyone could do what needed to be done, it was her. He knew that and yet he still couldn’t shake the feeling of helpless need spreading through him. “Please,” he said, and Isobel shot him a quick look, her arms and hands already stretched wide in a gesture he knew all too well.</p>
<p>“Be ready to catch him.” Her eyes were steel and determination. “It won’t take long.”</p>
<p>Max nodded, crouched down, taking his sister at her word and this time, Liz had no chance of keeping Alex from getting up. His stump protested sharply when he got to his feet, reminding him that he’d pushed himself today, but Alex resolutely ignored the pain. There was time for that later. Right now, Michael needed him.</p>
<p>Before him, the rubble shifted, beginning to lift up. He could just about see a glint of golden curls through the widening tunnel Isobel was creating. Her power was an almost palpable thing, a prickle on the skin that was similar to Michael’s, but sharper somehow, wilder, a force not yet tempered by years of strict control. “Come on,” she panted, body straining towards where her telekinesis was pointed. “Come on!”</p>
<p>There was a long dreadful moment of suspense where it looked like it was too little too late, were Isobel fought with the shifting piles of concrete that had been a warehouse not that long ago and that now threatened to crush her brother under its deadly weight. Alex watched, heart in his throat, as Isobel threw everything she had at it and with a throaty yell of pure effort, she wrenched Michael free. </p>
<p>He literally came flying. Max and Alex had locked shoulders and still almost lost their footing trying to catch him. Michael oofed as he landed hard, but he was whole and mostly undamaged under his hands and Alex gripped him tight as pure relief flooded through him. </p>
<p>His breath shuddered in his chest as he pulled Michael close, wrapping his arms around the shuddering body of the man he’d loved since he was seventeen. “I thought I’d lost you,” he breathed, uncaring that Max was right there. Michael obviously didn’t care either as he pressed his face into Alex’s neck, clinging to him just as tight.</p>
<p>Alex got to hold him for three whole heartbeats, long enough to breathe in that familiar scent of petrichor and rain on sand, long enough for Michael to clutch him, to whisper his name like a prayer - and then Michael wrenched himself away with a low groan and landed hard on his knees, throwing up violently.</p>
<p>Alex could only see half of his face and even that was partly obscured by sweat-slicked curls, but his skin was ashen under all the grime, and he looked so exhausted Alex wondered how he even was conscious. From behind him he heard Isobel retch as well and Max was sort of hovering between his siblings, looking torn.</p>
<p>“Take care of her,” Alex said to him, grunting as he lowered himself on the ground, half-pulling Michael into his lap so he could hold him while he heaved and shuddered, throwing up what seemed like everything he’d eaten over the last couple of days. Which wasn’t much, Alex noted, grimacing in sympathy when dry heaves began to plague the man in his arms. </p>
<p>Something dropped to the ground beside him. He picked it up, sighing in relief when he looked up at Kyle, Greg and Liz right behind him. “Thanks,” he murmured, trying to uncap the small bottle of pure acetone one-handed. </p>
<p>“Perimeter’s clear,” Greg reported, his attention split between their immediate surroundings and the small device in his hand. “The Deep Sky soldiers seem to have cleared out before the explosion, but Liz and Kyle took some samples while we were looking around, so this whole thing wasn’t a complete FUBAR.”</p>
<p>Alex snorted softly. “Not far away from it, though.”</p>
<p>Greg nodded, pulling a face that reminded Alex keenly of their childhood. It was somewhat disconcerting to see it now, which was a feeling he was getting used to the more they worked together. In retrospect, he could see now how Greg had done the best for him he could. He’d never been an abuser himself, not like Flint had been, and he had kept a few of Alex’s secrets even when it would have earned him brownie points with their father to rat him out.</p>
<p>Still, it was more than a little bit weird for Alex, to have his brother to count on for alien related crises. Nice, but weird. </p>
<p>“So you two went with him?” he asked, looking at Liz and Kyle. “Both of you?” It shouldn’t surprise him. Not anymore. A lot had happened since the release of Mr. Jones and the subsequent rise in activity from Deep Sky, and none of them had the luxury to stay out of the realities of their new situation. Still, of all of them, Liz and Kyle were the most unlikely to fall into the role of stand-in soldier.</p>
<p>Kyle nodded, looking grim. “Can’t have sailor boy go off on his own, now, can we. One suicidal Manes is enough, thank you very much.”</p>
<p>Alex quirked his lips. “I’m far from suicidal,” he said, mild. Michael had calmed a little under his touch and something tight in Alex eased.</p>
<p>“Eh,” Kyle grumped, steadying Isobel, who had stumbled over, nursing on some acetone. “Could have fooled me. It’s only ever you that needs rescuing. Well, you and grumpy hat here, obviously, but hey, who better to look for clues about the Alighting in an abandoned Deep Sky warehouse than the trouble gays themselves.”</p>
<p>Alex tactfully didn’t mention the time Michael had to rescue <em>him</em> from a rather creative trap Mr. Jones had set up. “Guerin’s not gay,” he said instead, grinning when Kyle made a disgusted noise.</p>
<p>“Whatever, dude. Did you get the antidote in him?” he asked, slipping into doctor mode easily, despite the attitude.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Alex responded, trying to feed Michael the acetone, which wasn’t easy with him still gagging every couple of seconds. “It worked wonders. Thanks, Liz. Without it, we’d be dead right now. They pumped the yellow powder gas in the moment we sent foot into the warehouse.”</p>
<p>She gave him a quick smile. “I’m glad. I didn’t have much time to test it.”</p>
<p>Alex nodded, trying not to let it show how much that fact bothered him. It had worked as it was supposed to, yes, but so had the serum Liz had given Isobel to get rid of her powers. And then her cells had started to rot and things went from okay to shit in a handbasket pretty fast.</p>
<p>Greg cleared his throat, breaking him from his dark thoughts. His brother was deliberately not looking at Isobel, a fact Alex noted with some amusement. “We should get out of here,” the older Manes said. “We’re sitting ducks out in the open like this.”</p>
<p>Alex had to agree with that assessment. His skin was crawling with the sense of being watched and it made his stomach clench in worry knowing that only Max’s powers were up to full strength.</p>
<p>Gently, he pressed a hand to Guerin’s forehead and buried his fingers in sweat-soaked curls. “Can you stand?” he murmured, relief shuddering through him when Michael turned his head to press into his touch. </p>
<p>“Yeah, ‘m good,” he croaked. Turning towards him, his eyes were dark as they roamed over him in a very distracting way. “You okay, Alex?”</p>
<p>Alex smiled, ignoring Isobel’s soft sound of derision with the ease of long experience. “I’m not the one with puke-breath, Guerin.”</p>
<p>Michael snorted at that, lips quirking into a smirk. “So a kiss is out of the question then?”</p>
<p>Alex shook his head, laughing softly. For some reason, it didn’t matter how often it happened and how much it was just part of Michael Guerin’s DNA, he never got used to the incessant flirting. It never went anywhere, was the thing, no matter how single they both were at the moment. Not when they had worked so hard on their issues, at becoming <em>friends</em>. </p>
<p>And yet, the echo of Guerin’s words still reverberated through his mind, his panicked ‘I love you, and I need you to <em>go</em>’. Those words, they meant something, even if he couldn’t be sure that they meant what he wanted them to. </p>
<p>“Yeah,” he said, somewhat belatedly, giving the curls between his fingers a slight tug. “But I’ll give you a rain check.”</p>
<p>Michael huffed out a soft laugh and rested his head against his shoulder for a second before sitting up. “Alright, let’s do this,” he groaned, taking Max’s outstretched hand. He was pulled to standing, and remained so with only a few wobbles. Alex made it to his feet on his own, but it was a near thing. Damn, he was going to feel this for a few days at least. </p>
<p>Turning towards the cars, his eyes fell on the pile of rubble he and Guerin had so narrowly escaped from and a spike of belated adrenaline flooded his system. Jesus, it had been so close… </p>
<p>A hand squeezed his shoulder. “Beers at my place tomorrow?” Greg asked, giving him a crooked smile that said more than his deliberately casual words that he knew what was going through Alex’s head. </p>
<p>He nodded, grateful once again that Greg was back in his life now. “I’ll bring the good stuff.” Turning his back on the wreckage, Alex sighed and rolled his shoulders. Another crisis averted, he thought idly. He could only hope that their luck would keep holding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The phone didn’t actually wake him. He’d been awake since stumbling in, unable to relax after everything that had happened. He’d left Guerin at Max’s house, looking a little peaked and paler than he should, but he’d been talking and making jokes, nipping on his third bottle of acetone.</p>
<p>Max had been the one to insist on Michael staying with him. “We can’t be sure there are no long-term side-effects from the new serum,” he’d said and for once, Guerin had given in without much protest. He’d just nodded, head leaning against the car’s window, his thigh warm against Alex’s where they sat pressed together in the backseat of Kyle’s car. </p>
<p>In hindsight, the lack of protest should have been enough of a warning sign.</p>
<p>Alex grabbed the phone from his nightstand, almost dislodging the laptop from his, well, lap, as he did. “What’s wrong?” He hadn’t bothered to check caller ID, he knew in his gut who it was. </p>
<p>“It’s Michael.” Max’s voice was strained. </p>
<p>Alex’s stomach dropped. “He got worse?” he asked, already trying to detangle himself from the blankets he’d cocooned himself in.</p>
<p>“Yeah. He started throwing up again an hour ago and he’s, I think he’s running a fever? It’s hard to tell.”</p>
<p>Alex frowned, shoving his laptop to safety and scrabbling for his sock. “What’s hard to tell about that?” he snapped, a little more sharply than he’d intended. He’d fucking <em>known</em> there was something more going on than simple exhaustion out by the warehouse, at the way Guerin had reacted to the new serum, but he’d ignored his instincts. He’d been distracted by Michael’s words and by the way he had so carefully not looked at Alex during the ride back and now...</p>
<p>There was a choked sound from the other end of the line and immediately, Alex felt like a dick. “His body temperature keeps changing,” Max said, sounding subdued and so worried, Alex’s throat closed in sympathy. “It goes up one minute and the next, he’s freezing. Liz thinks it’s got something to do with the acetone, like, it’s making him worse and he’s not supposed to have any but…” he trailed off.</p>
<p>“Is he in pain?” Alex asked, when his throat allowed for words to be formed again.</p>
<p>“Yeah. He’s asking for you.”</p>
<p>Alex gave himself a second to collect himself. “Put him on,” he said then.</p>
<p>“Um.” Max sounded like he was grimacing. “He’s not very coherent right now.”</p>
<p>Alex stared down at his stump, bunching the sock in his hand. It wasn’t often that he let himself feel frustrated or limited by his injury, but right now he wanted nothing more than to be on his fucking way already. There was no use to wishful thinking, though. Putting on his prosthetic would have to wait until he was off the phone as there was no way he could do it one-handed, even if he had it down to a science now. “I don’t care,” he answered, trying not to take his frustration out on Max. “Just, let me speak to him, okay?”</p>
<p>Max didn’t answer, but Alex heard him move around, heard a door open and anxious voices in the background. “It’s for you,” he heard Max say and then soft, shallow breaths filled the line. </p>
<p>“Guerin?” Alex asked.</p>
<p>“…Alex.” </p>
<p>God, he sounded rough. Alex swallowed down the alarm, made his voice as even as he could. “Hey. Heard you’re having a bit of a night.”</p>
<p>There was a soft snort and something that almost sounded like a laugh. “Yeah, kinda.” Guerin coughed and groaned, soft and pain-filled, and Alex felt like crying. “You okay?”</p>
<p>Alex snorted, looking down at where the faded scars on his leg had turned a deep red, swollen and angry looking where the edges of the prosthetic had dug into his flesh. “Shouldn’t I ask you that?”</p>
<p>Michael hummed, but he sounded distracted and Alex heard him swallow hard, harsh clicks he recognized from his own bouts with nausea. He’d never reacted well to anesthetics. “You can hang up if you-“ he started to say, but Michael interrupted him before he could finish the sentence.</p>
<p>“Nah, ‘s fine,” he murmured. “Uh, Alex? Could you, uh…”  A thump filled the line then, followed by rustling and muffled sounds. He strongly suspected that Michael had dropped the phone, probably to throw up some more. </p>
<p>Grimacing, he put the phone on speaker, strangely loath to hang up even now. Slipping on the prosthetic and putting on clothes on automatic, he listened to the sounds from the other end just in case Guerin picked it up again.</p>
<p>“Crap,” Alex heard someone say from what sounded like far away - was that Isobel? – followed by more muffled dry-heaving sounds. The phone was picked up just as he was putting on his leather jacket. </p>
<p>“Alex? You coming, or what?” Isobel asked, as if continuing a conversation Alex didn’t remember them having. “Because you better. He’s been asking for you non-stop-“</p>
<p>“Isobel,” Alex tried.</p>
<p>“-and whatever it is that is going on between you, or <em>not</em> going on between you-“</p>
<p>“Isobel.” It was like trying to stop a freight train at full speed.</p>
<p>“-it better not keep you from being fucking there for him, you hear me, Alex Manes-”</p>
<p>“Isobel!” he finally barked, using his seldom needed Captain-voice. “I would already be on my way if you’d just stop talking.” </p>
<p>“Oh. Well, good,” she huffed and hung up, leaving Alex to stare at his phone, dumbfounded. He’d always been aware that Isobel Evans was a force of nature, and still he was surprised by her ferocity on occasion.</p>
<p>“Damn aliens,” he murmured, grabbing his go bag and - belatedly - his crutch from beside the door. He had a feeling he was going to need it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>****</p>
<p>It was Max that opened the door for him. “Thanks for coming,” he murmured, giving him a crooked smile. “I hope Isobel hasn’t guilt-tripped you into it.”</p>
<p>“I was already on the way, your sister’s needling notwithstanding.” Alex stepped into the house, waving away Max’s silent offer of help as he leaned heavily on his crutch. “He in the bedroom?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Liz just left, she took more samples and promised to let us know if she finds anything. But she’s pretty sure that he just needs to get the stuff out of his system, so…” Max waved him along a little awkwardly, scrubbing a hand over his face. He looked tired, exhausted really, and Alex felt a pang of sympathy for him. It was never easy to watch someone you loved be in pain, but it was so much harder when you had to depend on backroom-science to get help for them. </p>
<p>Isobel sat on the couch, her legs pulled underneath her body. She looked like she’d gone ten rounds with a T-Rex and though her voice was even, she wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Alex.”</p>
<p>Alex bit back a smile. They’d all had a bit of a day. Navigating between the couch and the coffee table was a task with his crutch and the bag, but he managed to get close enough to lean down and press a soft kiss onto her forehead. “Get some rest,” he murmured against her skin. “I’ve got him for now.”</p>
<p>Isobel sucked in a sharp breath that came out as a sob and she grabbed a hold of his hand, squeezing it hard. He squeezed back and then he let go, leaving the Evans’ siblings behind to look after each other. </p>
<p>The bedroom was dim when he stepped in, the only light coming from a small lamp on the bedside table. Dropping his bag so that he could easily reach it, Alex took in the set-up of the room. He could see the bathroom door just off to the side, door ajar. There was a soft light coming from in there, which was good, it would make navigating it easier should another quick trip there become necessary. </p>
<p>The Michael-shaped lump lay turned away from the light and on that side of the bed, someone had placed a trashcan that was about two fingers-wide filled with water, along with some towels. A water bottle lay on the mattress next to Michael’s prone form - closed, thankfully - and another stood on the small table closest to Alex. </p>
<p>Fishing in his bag for the packet of baby wipes he always carried with him in his go bag, Alex put that on the nightstand, along with a small tube of analgesic cream. Hesitating, he sighed and then went back into his bag again, pulling out his prescription pain pills. He kind of hoped that he didn’t have to use them, but he wanted to be prepared just in case, especially if he was about to pull an all-nighter.</p>
<p>Behind him, Michael stirred and made a small, questioning sound. “Hey,” Alex murmured and sat on the edge of the bed. </p>
<p>Michael moved underneath the mountain of blankets someone had piled on him and he curled his body into Alex’s as if seeking his warmth. “You came.”</p>
<p>Alex smiled, remembering another time, another conversation. “You asked me to.”</p>
<p>Michael hummed, leaning into Alex’s hand that had somehow found its way into his messy curls. Sometime in between getting here and his condition worsening, he must have taken a shower because the hair underneath his fingertips was soft and fluffy. It felt good, to be able to touch him like that, even if it was under the guise of taking care of him. </p>
<p>He had missed this so much - which was kind of absurd because in the last decade and a half, he and Michael had had barely any time for moments like these, for intimacy that wasn’t tainted by emotional turmoil or trauma. He watched as Michael’s eyes fell closed and for a while, he lost himself in the familiar scent and feel of him, humming softly under his breath in contentment. </p>
<p>When he finally moved, Michael made a protesting sound, reaching for him. “Hey, it’s alright,” Alex murmured, taking the searching hand and gently pushing it back under the blankets. “I’m just taking the leg off, hang on.”</p>
<p>There was no verbal reply, but this time he was allowed to sit up enough so that he could push his sweatpants up and slip the prosthetic off. He had contemplated leaving it on, just so he wouldn’t need to use the crutches, but he’d be pretty much out of commission for a few days if he did that and already the dull pain of an overtaxed stump had started to morph into a much less tangible ache.</p>
<p>Sighing softly, Alex cleaned it and rubbed some of the analgesic cream onto his stump, knowing that it would only do so much good now. He eyed the pills on the nightstand, sighing again. </p>
<p>“Leg bothering you?”</p>
<p>Alex glanced over at a sleepy-looking Michael, smiling at the picture he presented, all tousled and drowsy as he squinted up at him. “Just phantom pain, nothing to worry about. And believe me, I’d be feeling much worse if a whole warehouse had fallen on me,” he said lightly, stretching out on the bed in slow, measured movements.</p>
<p>Michael peered at him, looking thoughtful. When he laid his hand on his leg, Alex was surprised but not overly alarmed. They’d always been touch-feely with each other, whether or not they actually were together. But then the warmth from Michael’s touch started to spread and it felt different somehow…</p>
<p>“Hey, what are you-“ Alex started to say, and then he gasped when the pain in his leg receded, sucked away by whatever Michael was doing. For long, breathless moments, he could only lie there and bask in the glorious, wondrous feeling that was the total absence of pain. </p>
<p>It was only when Guerin jerked away from him and began to retch helplessly that he came back to himself. “Shit,” he said and leaned over, stroking a soothing hand over Michael’s heaving back. “Why did you do that, huh? I could have handled a bit of pain.”</p>
<p>Michael shuddered, grabbing blindly for the acetone. He took a sip, gagged, and for a moment it looked like he was about to puke it all back up. Thankfully, it stayed down and after a long moment of contemplating, he was able to pull back and collapse on the bed, facing Alex. “Shouldn’t have to,” he croaked, blinking up at him through wet lashes. “Not when I can do something about it.”</p>
<p>Alex kept stroking his back, enjoying the contact, but also wanting to do something or the other man to make him feel better. “You’re a fool,” he murmured softly, scooting down on the bed so that he could lay down next to Michael. “You were already sick, you couldn’t afford to use your powers again so soon. Especially since you only <em>just</em> learned to do that.” </p>
<p>A smirk stole over Michael’s tired face and he lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Worth it.”</p>
<p>Alex rolled his eyes, but he was content to just lay there and breathe the same air for a while, his hand still resting on Michael’s warm body, the connection between them strong and almost tangible. When Michael pushed close, it felt like a natural progression for their lips to meet in a gentle, close-mouthed kiss and Alex let his eyes fall shut. </p>
<p>“’M sorry.” </p>
<p>It was a surprise to feel the words spoken against his mouth. Pulling back a little, just enough to not be tempted to deepen the kiss, Alex let his thumb stroke the length of a slanted eyebrow and asked: “For what?”</p>
<p>Michael looked at him, tired eyes meeting Alex’s gravely. “Everything. It’s my fault you got pulled into this whole mess.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean? The alien thing?” Alex huffed. “That’s the Manes family legacy, remember? I would have gotten pulled into that anyhow. At least this way, I ended up on the right side of it.”</p>
<p>“’S not what I was taking about.” Michael struggled to sit up, groaning.</p>
<p>Alex sat up too and tried to help as best as he could, but the way he was situated was at too awkward of an angle for him to do much. When at last, Michael seemed satisfied, they were both leaning against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder. </p>
<p>“Tell me what you did mean,” Alex asked softly, loathe to break the intimacy they had created, the ground they’d gained. </p>
<p>Michael sighed, scrubbed a hand roughly over his face. “Us, I guess. Who knows how your life would have turned out if we hadn’t…” he trailed off, shrugged. “It would have spared you a whole lot of pain, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>Alex felt like he’d been kicked in the chest by the soft words. “How can you even <em>think</em> that?” he exclaimed, flushing from indignation. “That has never crossed my mind, Guerin, not even once. You are the best thing that ever happened to me and loving you has gotten me through so much, has taught me so much.” He shook his head, bit his lower lip as he chose his next words carefully. “Even with everything that happened, there’s really only one thing I would do different.”</p>
<p>Michael stilled. “Yeah? What’s that?”</p>
<p>Alex shrugged, fixed his gaze on the wall just shy of Michael’s face. “I would find a way to save your family.” </p>
<p>It was easily the truest thing he’d ever said to anyone. There was nothing he regretted more than how that day had gone, and the guilt of that still sat in his stomach like a sharp-edged stone. If he’d been better prepared, done more research before going to Michael, maybe he could have saved those poor people and help make up for the atrocities his family had committed.</p>
<p>Michael swallowed hard enough for his throat to make a clicking sound, but when his eyes found Alex’s and held his gaze, there was no recrimination in them. “Caulfield wasn’t your fault,” he said, his voice so low and urgent that Alex felt it in his bones. “I never blamed you for what happened to my mom.”</p>
<p>It had certainly felt like there was some blame going around, but Alex was hesitant to say that out loud. He didn’t want to do anything that would break the quiet, intimate bubble they had created between them, fearing that it would escalate into one of those gut-wrenching arguments they were so damn good at. </p>
<p>As I turned out, though, he didn’t have to. Michael took one look at his face and sort of <em>knew</em>, reading him like he was an open book. “You don’t believe me,” he murmured, more statement than question.</p>
<p>Alex shrugged. “I just think that you have a lot of reason to not want to be around me.” It hurt to say, but it was the truth. </p>
<p>Michael shook his head, wayward curls falling into his face as he did. “Needing some distance isn’t the same as not wanting you around, though,” he said, slow and measured. “Man, I know I haven’t done the best job at showing you how much you mean to me, but I thought we were past the blaming each other for shit stage at least.”</p>
<p>Alex nodded. “I’d like for us to be,” he said, ducking his head. “I’m just not sure it’s realistic in the long run.”</p>
<p>Michael huffed a soft laugh, visibly relaxing. “Shit, you’re probably right,” he murmured. He slid down on the bed until his head was on the pillow and gave Alex an eye-crinkling smile, patting the space beside him.</p>
<p>Amused, Alex rolled his eyes but did as prompted and lay down as well. He noticed that Michael was shivering and while Alex didn’t know if it was an emotional reaction or another dip in his body temperature, he figured that the cure was the same for both ailments. “C’mere,” he said and wiggled his way under the blankets with him, pulling the other man close. </p>
<p>Michael made a soft sound of contentment, pushing into him and pressing his cold nose onto Alex’s neck. </p>
<p>“So,” he breathed against Alex’s skin. “Does this mean that we’re together again?”</p>
<p>Alex grinned, warmth infusing him from within as he felt more than heard the soft words. “Yeah,” he answered, just as low.</p>
<p>“And can we stay together this time?”</p>
<p>Alex thought that his chest must be expanding, because how else could it hold so many emotions all at once. Love swirled there, first and foremost, along with some regret over the fact that it had taken them so long to get to this point. The most prominent feeling however was a deep sense of rightness that ran through everything, connecting them, binding them together. “Yes,” he said, unembarrassed by the wetness gathering in his eyes. “Please.”</p>
<p>Michael hummed and tightened his hold on him. “’Kay.” He sounded sleepy and content and Alex lay there with his heart pounding as if he was heading into a full-on anxiety attack. It took him a second to realize that it was actually just him being <em>happy</em>. Weird. Had it really been this long since he’d felt like this, that he couldn’t even recognize it?</p>
<p>He took a series of deep breaths and shook off the uneasy feeling before it could fully settle. It had taken him a long time to not constantly wait for the other shoe to drop whenever something good happened in his life, and he wasn’t about to start again with it now. A stray thought entered his mind then, and he snorted softly. “Figures that it took a building collapsing on us to bring us together.”</p>
<p>“Eh,” Michael murmured, his breath warm, his curls tickling Alex’s collarbone. “Took way more than that, Earthling.”</p>
<p>Grinning, Alex grabbed him tight and flipped them over, pushing both hands into Michael’s hair and sort of hovered over him. “My own personal falling star,” he murmured against quirked lips and then he dove deep, losing himself in being allowed to touch and to hold, in the way Michael surged up against him as if he was starving for it just as much as Alex was.  </p>
<p>They still had some talking to do, of course, and he wasn’t so naïve as to think that everything between them was magically okay just because they were finally on the same page. But those were things to deal with later. Much later, if it was up to him.</p>
<p>And thankfully, Michael was on the same page on that as well.</p>
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